When I was in 7th grade (1977), we had a Holocaust Survivor speak at our school. She went to each classroom so everyone could see her up close. No one ever questioned her experiences because we knew the Holocaust was a historical fact.
You are right. When I was nine, two things happened at the same time after a fast freeze. One, the laziest teacher in our school was playground monitor. Two, the two tough bullies managed to convince the boys that hung around them that it was time to have a standoff on a large frozen puddle at the bottom together the slide.
The two bullies got together and devised a test of toughness and loyalty for their henchmen.
Each designated boy would be jeered at and cheered on if he climbed the large metal slide, lay down, closed them eyes, put their hands pressed flat against their thighs.
The bullies said their side would have the most guys brave enough to hit the ice face first.
I was in a different part of the playground when the first boy went down and broke his nose and his glasses.
The other bullies first sacrificial scapegoat was at the top of the slide lying down. Wayne twisted slightly at the bottom and got a bang on his head and his ear was bleeding.
The two bully kings declared that Wayne lost. All the boys started chanting some stupid saying about being tough. Then “Go less go! You have to salute me before you lay down!”
I was stunned when Les gave him a Nazi salute. The midget Storm - trumpet- dictator on the ground clicked his heels together and saluted back.
My maiden name is Aschenmeier and I had grandfathers conscripted by Germany and Canada to fight in WWII. I had become enraged when I heard what the leaders in the war made both families forced to fight and lose. I knew Les’s mother well and she would be incandescent with rage if she could see Les at that moment.
I grabbed Barb and Colleen ‘s hands .
“The boys are trying to take over the slide. Let’s slide in.”
We ran an hit the ice all three shouting.
“It’s our slide too”
Each of us were blocking Les’s slide down . More girls joined us shouting “Tis is our slide too”
Finally noting, the girls lining up facing the boys the teacher came over and told me “You’re not acting like a young lady.”
“ Yes. Sir.”
The bell rang just as I hoped. Ryan, one of the bullies pushed me down from behind. I fell and my knee scraped open onto the ice.
“We’ll get you for that.Don’t interfere.”
My knee was bleeding so my teacher sent me to the secretary. She was good friends with my Mom so I told her about the boys plans . She called the two bullies mothers and the ringleaders were given extra work in the office to help raise a fund for the broken glasses.
It’s the closest brush I have had with Naziism. I was startled how many boys quickly joined in and how the rest just stood around watching.
I was glad Les never went down the slide.
He was mad at me though. At least he didn’t have a concussion.
We need to follow Walter’s warning... Just stand up and take some action.. It can be scary, do it anyway! If its too much, recruit a friend or two to join you... You will find that it will be a very personally gratifying moment.. Watch and listen to Kamala.. She’s doing it!
Such an amazing piece of writing! I’ll be saving this for a very long time. By the way, what happened to that asshole kid who was sure the Holocaust never happened?
What I didn’t write was when I was a child my Viennese Uncle always brought his cousins who survived the camps for Thanksgiving. They were so wonderful and kind. Those memories are with me to this day. They never hid their number tattoos. We are a Jewish family.
I hope so, but the system is so rigged in the US in their favor that they might just escape accountability... like they have been for the last 10 years.
But they are mortals. Trump is pretty much senile, McConnell is out of it, and Johnson and the GOP House members are pretty close to being criminally insane. As they get older, the asylums and the grave will claim them.
Walter, I can't imagine being mad at you for "sounding the alarm." We're all spreading it in small ways among neighbors and friends. You just have a bigger, and very trustworthy, platform. It's going to be a busy couple of months. Just found that my treasured neighbor just ordered a MAGA flag to display next door (admittedly, we've had "Kamala, Obviously", and "Free Palestine" flags one either side of her for weeks.) Our differences will not inspire violence, but it's going to be a testy time, likely reflected all over the country. We each must do what we can, and then some, to rise to the occasion. Keep on doing what you're doing. It's inspirational. No Trump.
Thank you Dan. What scares me is how eagerly the press will denounce anyone who is critical of the GOP for using words like "dictator" even though they never hold the GOP to that same standard. I'm pretty certain my days are numbered if the white supremacists steal the election in November.
Trump’s Jan. 6 hooligans resemble the Brown Shirts. I did note elsewhere that Hitler at least served in the army with distinction—something Trump would never do. And perhaps the savage attacks on Springfield are a preparatory lesson for Kristal Nacht.
One should also focus not only on the Jews being described as causing pollution of the blood.’, but all Eastern Slavs were vermin. Hitler wanted space for his people to expand and he knew in which direction he would go.
Hitler got a pass from politicians in power because they never thought he would amount to much.
It is terrifying. But Trump operates by his gut feeling, not his brain. I hope that means he will be less successful than Hitler or Stalin should the former President ever regain power.
Excellent article. My mother was young during Hitler's reign, but she vividly remembers. She is genuinely afraid for her grandchildren and great grandchildren. It's as serious as it gets.
So many entitled jerks think they can say things like that. Then the second wave attacks the good people who try to put the entitled jerks in their place. We have so much work to do in order to heal our society.
The similarities are scary! So is the redderick and doubling down on lies, and marking a certain populus as the enemy (by faith, skin color, belief, sexual orientation, different opinion) - which apparently violates the anti-discrimination law.
What ever happened to the investigative journalism in this country???
Once in power, what do dictators care about existing laws? Just abolish existing ones you disagree with, and write new ones favoring your world view and croonies.
We know how long the envisioned 1,000 year Reich lastet (twelve is the correct number), and the devastation it brought upon the entire world.....
I'm very scared that somebody is going to get hurt, and it's the Republicans that are allowing this to continue. We know how this ends and it does not end well for anyone. Unfortunately, more people are likely to be mad at me for sounding the alarm.
I like reading your analysis Walter. Please permit me to point out some minor, but important differences between 1928 and 2024.
1. Hitler was asked to serve as Chancellor by Paul von Hindenburg in 1933 following an enormously unsuccessful attempt to pull the Weimar Republic out of calamity and economic instability. What failed American leader will install Trump in a position that enables him to "take over the country?"
2. Both Hindenburg's son and spiraling Chancellor Franz von Papen convinced Hindenburg that they could work with and reason with Hitler. 1934 found Hitler's muscle assassinating some portant von Papen allies and supporters in the infamous event known as The Night of the Long Knives. I'm not good at predicting the future. While the 2/6/2020 insurrection was despicable and deadly it was not The Night of the Long Knives or the Reichstag Fire. I think it might have been Winston Churchill who said, "Eternal vigilance is the price of freedom."
Well naturally they don't line up exactly. When you run a play from Hitler's playbook, you're not going up against the same opposition. But that is what the GOP is doing. The failed leader that will install trump is likely to be the Supreme Court along with the weaklings in congress who failed to hold him accountable and all the MAGA loyalists who will refuse to certify the election when he loses. I hope and pray there are no assassinations, but the fact is that the political right keeps calling for violence against their political opponents.
I see a rash of 'Jan 6' takeovers of State legislature as they certify their electoral college results. Enough disruption will ensue to enable Congress to vote on who the winner is, ie, Trump. Job's a good 'un, as we say in London.
When I was in 7th grade (1977), we had a Holocaust Survivor speak at our school. She went to each classroom so everyone could see her up close. No one ever questioned her experiences because we knew the Holocaust was a historical fact.
Sadly, the GOP is doing everything it can to prevent public schools from teaching historical facts.
And to add to what you said, my school was in Kentucky, not Cali or NY
You are right. When I was nine, two things happened at the same time after a fast freeze. One, the laziest teacher in our school was playground monitor. Two, the two tough bullies managed to convince the boys that hung around them that it was time to have a standoff on a large frozen puddle at the bottom together the slide.
The two bullies got together and devised a test of toughness and loyalty for their henchmen.
Each designated boy would be jeered at and cheered on if he climbed the large metal slide, lay down, closed them eyes, put their hands pressed flat against their thighs.
The bullies said their side would have the most guys brave enough to hit the ice face first.
I was in a different part of the playground when the first boy went down and broke his nose and his glasses.
The other bullies first sacrificial scapegoat was at the top of the slide lying down. Wayne twisted slightly at the bottom and got a bang on his head and his ear was bleeding.
The two bully kings declared that Wayne lost. All the boys started chanting some stupid saying about being tough. Then “Go less go! You have to salute me before you lay down!”
I was stunned when Les gave him a Nazi salute. The midget Storm - trumpet- dictator on the ground clicked his heels together and saluted back.
My maiden name is Aschenmeier and I had grandfathers conscripted by Germany and Canada to fight in WWII. I had become enraged when I heard what the leaders in the war made both families forced to fight and lose. I knew Les’s mother well and she would be incandescent with rage if she could see Les at that moment.
I grabbed Barb and Colleen ‘s hands .
“The boys are trying to take over the slide. Let’s slide in.”
We ran an hit the ice all three shouting.
“It’s our slide too”
Each of us were blocking Les’s slide down . More girls joined us shouting “Tis is our slide too”
Finally noting, the girls lining up facing the boys the teacher came over and told me “You’re not acting like a young lady.”
“ Yes. Sir.”
The bell rang just as I hoped. Ryan, one of the bullies pushed me down from behind. I fell and my knee scraped open onto the ice.
“We’ll get you for that.Don’t interfere.”
My knee was bleeding so my teacher sent me to the secretary. She was good friends with my Mom so I told her about the boys plans . She called the two bullies mothers and the ringleaders were given extra work in the office to help raise a fund for the broken glasses.
It’s the closest brush I have had with Naziism. I was startled how many boys quickly joined in and how the rest just stood around watching.
I was glad Les never went down the slide.
He was mad at me though. At least he didn’t have a concussion.
The GOP remind me of those boys in Grade Four.
Gosh, what a story. You're helping me churn up some buried memories. This would be a good thing to expand and write for Medium.
Yes, I have been thinking about that and talking to my husband about it since your story brought it to mind.
It’s a chilling memory.
We need to follow Walter’s warning... Just stand up and take some action.. It can be scary, do it anyway! If its too much, recruit a friend or two to join you... You will find that it will be a very personally gratifying moment.. Watch and listen to Kamala.. She’s doing it!
We just have to have the courage to speak out. Just wear your Kamala shirts.
Powerful writing, Walter. Thank you.
I was a touch nervous when I hit publish, that usually means it’s important.
Such an amazing piece of writing! I’ll be saving this for a very long time. By the way, what happened to that asshole kid who was sure the Holocaust never happened?
What I didn’t write was when I was a child my Viennese Uncle always brought his cousins who survived the camps for Thanksgiving. They were so wonderful and kind. Those memories are with me to this day. They never hid their number tattoos. We are a Jewish family.
The professor didn't have to say anymore. There was no way the kid could recover from that. I can't even remember if he kept coming to class.
The Republicans seem to sense that their ship is going to smash on the rocks pretty soon...
I hope so, but the system is so rigged in the US in their favor that they might just escape accountability... like they have been for the last 10 years.
But they are mortals. Trump is pretty much senile, McConnell is out of it, and Johnson and the GOP House members are pretty close to being criminally insane. As they get older, the asylums and the grave will claim them.
Walter, I can't imagine being mad at you for "sounding the alarm." We're all spreading it in small ways among neighbors and friends. You just have a bigger, and very trustworthy, platform. It's going to be a busy couple of months. Just found that my treasured neighbor just ordered a MAGA flag to display next door (admittedly, we've had "Kamala, Obviously", and "Free Palestine" flags one either side of her for weeks.) Our differences will not inspire violence, but it's going to be a testy time, likely reflected all over the country. We each must do what we can, and then some, to rise to the occasion. Keep on doing what you're doing. It's inspirational. No Trump.
Thank you Dan. What scares me is how eagerly the press will denounce anyone who is critical of the GOP for using words like "dictator" even though they never hold the GOP to that same standard. I'm pretty certain my days are numbered if the white supremacists steal the election in November.
Your words resonate. I cannot imagine living under that regime.
Many people won’t have to. That’s the scary thing.
I could only bear to skim read this because I know history and I recognize the path we're on. But, I'm motivated to work harder to spread the word!
Good, then the article did its job. The media keeps trying to distract us from what's at stake, and we can't afford to forget. Thanks Gloria!
Trump’s Jan. 6 hooligans resemble the Brown Shirts. I did note elsewhere that Hitler at least served in the army with distinction—something Trump would never do. And perhaps the savage attacks on Springfield are a preparatory lesson for Kristal Nacht.
One should also focus not only on the Jews being described as causing pollution of the blood.’, but all Eastern Slavs were vermin. Hitler wanted space for his people to expand and he knew in which direction he would go.
Hitler got a pass from politicians in power because they never thought he would amount to much.
It is terrifying. But Trump operates by his gut feeling, not his brain. I hope that means he will be less successful than Hitler or Stalin should the former President ever regain power.
Excellent article. My mother was young during Hitler's reign, but she vividly remembers. She is genuinely afraid for her grandchildren and great grandchildren. It's as serious as it gets.
That initial story is chilling ... Gaslighting to maximum power!
So many entitled jerks think they can say things like that. Then the second wave attacks the good people who try to put the entitled jerks in their place. We have so much work to do in order to heal our society.
The similarities are scary! So is the redderick and doubling down on lies, and marking a certain populus as the enemy (by faith, skin color, belief, sexual orientation, different opinion) - which apparently violates the anti-discrimination law.
What ever happened to the investigative journalism in this country???
Once in power, what do dictators care about existing laws? Just abolish existing ones you disagree with, and write new ones favoring your world view and croonies.
We know how long the envisioned 1,000 year Reich lastet (twelve is the correct number), and the devastation it brought upon the entire world.....
I'm very scared that somebody is going to get hurt, and it's the Republicans that are allowing this to continue. We know how this ends and it does not end well for anyone. Unfortunately, more people are likely to be mad at me for sounding the alarm.
You are demonstrating leadership. Leadership is scary the first time you step up, but that is how you learn.
I like reading your analysis Walter. Please permit me to point out some minor, but important differences between 1928 and 2024.
1. Hitler was asked to serve as Chancellor by Paul von Hindenburg in 1933 following an enormously unsuccessful attempt to pull the Weimar Republic out of calamity and economic instability. What failed American leader will install Trump in a position that enables him to "take over the country?"
2. Both Hindenburg's son and spiraling Chancellor Franz von Papen convinced Hindenburg that they could work with and reason with Hitler. 1934 found Hitler's muscle assassinating some portant von Papen allies and supporters in the infamous event known as The Night of the Long Knives. I'm not good at predicting the future. While the 2/6/2020 insurrection was despicable and deadly it was not The Night of the Long Knives or the Reichstag Fire. I think it might have been Winston Churchill who said, "Eternal vigilance is the price of freedom."
Well naturally they don't line up exactly. When you run a play from Hitler's playbook, you're not going up against the same opposition. But that is what the GOP is doing. The failed leader that will install trump is likely to be the Supreme Court along with the weaklings in congress who failed to hold him accountable and all the MAGA loyalists who will refuse to certify the election when he loses. I hope and pray there are no assassinations, but the fact is that the political right keeps calling for violence against their political opponents.
I see a rash of 'Jan 6' takeovers of State legislature as they certify their electoral college results. Enough disruption will ensue to enable Congress to vote on who the winner is, ie, Trump. Job's a good 'un, as we say in London.